SATs issues rumble on as headteachers report marking errors

Issues with key stage 2 SATs continue to rumble on following results day.

School leaders’ union NAHT said members had raised concerns about the marks awarded in individual papers.

Some schools have also had difficulty accessing the online results portal, while the system for downloading test scripts “has functioned poorly”.

But the Department for Education said “test scripts were marked subject to STA’s quality assurance requirements including extensive marker training, qualification exercises, and ongoing quality checks of marking throughout the process”.

Results were finally published last Thursday after they were delayed for nine-days due to widespread technical issues with contractor Pearson’s marking systems.

It is not yet clear whether the problems schools are reporting are a direct result of the issues with the marking portal.

Ofsted chair Christine Gilbert is leading an independent review into the failings, which will query the roles Pearson, the Standards and Testing Agency and the Department for Education had.

‘Deeply concerning’

Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “School leaders were already angered by the delay to this year’s SATs, but further issues are being raised about access to results and marking.

“Some members have flagged concerns about possible marking errors and incorrect marks being awarded, leading to multiple marking reviews being submitted.”

One primary headteacher, who wished to be anonymous, said the number of errors her school found was “deeply concerning”.

“During the review process, it became apparent that many answers which should clearly have been awarded marks had instead been marked as incorrect.

“In some cases, it appeared that markers had interpreted responses far too literally, while in others it seemed as though the examples provided in the mark scheme had been treated as ‘do not accept’ answers rather than examples of acceptable alternatives.”

They added that they submitted a high number of reviews, which created an “unnecessary burden” at a busy time of year.

“Our published outcomes represent a clear anomaly when compared with our historical performance and the evidence we hold of our pupils’ attainment.

“The initial marking errors had a substantial effect on our final results, and we are left questioning whether they accurately reflect the achievements of our children.”

Delay ‘not caused by test quality’

The Department for Education announced last week that deadline for schools to submit reviews of marking would be extended to 7 September.

Schools will find out the outcome of the reviews on 30 September.

The DfE said it would not reveal the volume of marking reviews until the deadline for schools to submit them closes on 7 September.

A spokesperson added: “We have been clear that the delay was due to the readiness of the system and not due to concerns about the quality of the tests, [or] the marking or the results.

“The test scripts were marked subject to STA’s quality assurance requirements including extensive marker training, qualification exercises, and ongoing quality checks of marking throughout the process.”

Hannafin said other schools had raised concerns about test papers being lost, but Pearson said the number of missing scripts was consistent with previous years.

The department added that 99.95 per cent of results had been returned to schools, and that they were doing all they could to secure outcomes for the pupils who did not have their exam scripts.

System ‘functioned poorly’

Hannafin added: “One top of this, the system for downloading test scripts has functioned poorly, some schools have faced difficulties accessing the online portal and secondary school and MATs were unable to access some of the data.

“Taken together, all this is concerning. It adds to workload and stress for leaders and their staff at the end of term, and is totally unfair on pupils and parents.”

Secondary schools were initially unable to access scaled scores, sparking complaints that they would not have all the information they needed to plan interventions and support for the incoming year seven cohort.

But they were given access last Friday at noon, following a system update.

The DfE also confirmed that multi-academy trusts were able to access scaled scores on Friday.

A spokesperson for Pearson said they were “working closely with schools, MATs and the STA to address individual queries raised, including those relating to access to test scripts and results data”.

‘They must be held to account’

NAHT has long opposed KS2 SATs, arguing they “tell teachers nothing they don’t already know”, and put strain on children and schools.

Hannafin added that Pearson and the STA “must be held to account”, and that the government “must ensure systems are robust and the process is as smooth as possible for pupils and schools”.

The independent review will query whether the process for awarding Pearson’s contract was robust, and how the exams giant assessed risks and communicated them the Standards and Testing Agency (STA).

Gilbert’s final report on the failings will be submitted to education secretary Lucy Powell in October.